Eggplant lasagna with basil

8 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
½ Medium-size yellow onion (about 1 c); finely diced
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon Dried basil
6 Cloves garlic; finely chopped
¼ cup Dry red wine
1 can (28-oz) tomatoes with juice; pureed
1 Bay leaf
B: THE EGGPLANT
2½ pounds Japanese eggplant; sliced 1/2\" thick diameter
3 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
2 Cloves garlic; finely chopped
Salt and pepper
C: RICOTTA CUSTARD
1 pounds Ricotta cheese
2 Eggs; beaten
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese; grated
3 pinches Freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon Salt
⅛ teaspoon Pepper
D: HERB BECHAMEL RECIPE
2½ cup Milk
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
3 tablespoons Unbleached white flour
Several leaves parsley; sage, thyme; and majoram bundled together
¼ teaspoon Salt
⅛ teaspoon Pepper
E: ASSEMBLING LASAGNA
⅔ cup Parmesan cheese; grated
1¼ cup Provolone cheese; grated
1¼ cup Mozzarella cheese; grated
½ cup Chopped fresh basil
1 pounds Fresh pasta sheets

Directions

Date: Sat, 2 Mar 1996 14:54:43 -0500 From: J Barcelo <jjb16@...>

Recipe By: Fields of Greens/A. Somerville A: TOMATO SAUCE--Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, ½ tsp. salt, a pinch of pepper, and the basil; saute over medium heat until soft, 5 to 7 min. Add the garlic and saute for 5 min., then add the wine and simmer 1 to 2 min., until pan is nearly dry. Add tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon salt, and bay leaf; simmer, uncovered, for 30 min. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

B: THE EGGPLANT--Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the eggplant with the olive oil, the garlic, ½ tsp. salt, and a few pinches of pepper.

Place the slices on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 min., until slices are soft in center. Cool and slice into thick strips. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The eggplant should be very flavorful.

C: RICOTTA CUSTARD--Place the ricotta in a mixing bowl and stir in eggs; add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

D: HERB BECHAMEL--Heat milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a separate pan, add flour, and cook the resulting roux over low heat for 2-3 min., stirring constantly. When the milk is scalded, pour it onto the roux a little at a time, whisking continuously. Add the bundled herbs, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat for 10 min. Remove the herbs just before assembling lasagna.

E: ASSEMBLING THE LASAGNA--Toss the cheeses together and set aside ⅓ cup to sprinkle on top during baking. Reserve 1 tbsp basil to sprinkle on top after baking. When you're ready to assemble lasagna, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, spread 1½ cups tomato sauce and cover it with a layer of pasta. Pour another cup of sauce over the pasta, followed by half the eggplant. Sprinkle with half the mixed cheeses, half the chopped basil, and another layer of pasta. Spread the ricotta custard evenly over the pasta and cover with another layer of pasta. Add a last cup of tomato sauce and then rest of eggplant and basil; follow with the rest of the cheese and a final layer of pasta. Top with the bechamel. Cover and bake for 20 min. Sprinkle with the reserved ⅓ cup cheeses, and bake, uncovered, until the bechamel has set, 10-15 min. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with reserved basil.

NOTES : For more intense basil flavor, substitute pesto for the basil.

Spread the sauce over the layers of eggplant, then sprinkle with the cheese. You can also make the lasagna without bechamel, using tomato sauce in its place. Double the sauce recipe.

MC-RECIPE@...

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